dairy

In order to lose weight, eating low-calorie protein is a must. Protein offers sustained energy, satiates your hunger, and curbs sugar cravings. Choosing low-calorie, low-fat protein sources is a must and while Greek yogurt has gained a lot of recognition, don't leave out the unsung hero of the protein world — cottage cheese. Here are some ways this simple food can help you drop pounds.

Breakfast: High-Protein Addition
You know how after you eat a bagel for breakfast it's tough to shake that sluggish feeling all morning? Protein has the opposite effect. It offers you energy for hours, so you feel bright-eyed and ready to tackle the day. Eggs and yogurt are popular choices, but for something a little different, whip up a smoothie and you guessed it — add cottage cheese to the blender. For 81 calories, four ounces will add a whopping 14 grams of protein to your glass. The blender will puree the cottage cheese into a smooth consistency, so your taste buds won't even know it's in there. Not into smoothies? Enjoy a bowl of cottage cheese topped with fruit for fiber and sweetness, and nuts for even more added protein.

Keep reading to find out two more ways cottage cheese can help with weight loss.

Eating too much dairy can cause a number of issues for people such as tummy troubles, congestion, and acne, so if you're trying to cut back on the amount of dairy in your diet, here are some ways to do it.

• Skip the cheese on your burger. Eating a hamburger not only avoids dairy, but it also saves you about 100 calories.
• Pour almond milk in your cereal. It's deliciously creamy, lactose-free, and contains the same amount of calories per serving as skim milk.
• If you love yogurt with fruit and granola for breakfast, opt for soy yogurt. O'Soy and WholeSoy are slightly higher in calories than regular yogurt, but offer six or seven grams of protein, just like Stonyfield Farms' Nonfat Vanilla.

Continue reading for more ways to ditch the dairy from you diet.

I've always been baffled when forced to choose between heavy and whipped cream at the grocery store. Isn't all cream more or less the same thing?

Not exactly, I discovered when I finally searched for the answer. There are differences in milk fat content. All cream contains at least 18 percent milk fat: "whipping cream" is made up of 30 percent, while cartons labeled "heavy cream" or "heavy whipping cream" must contain 36 percent or more.

Whipping cream, heavy cream, or heavy whipping cream all work for recipes that incorporate whisked air, but don't reach for that half and half. At 10.5 to 18 percent milk fat, it simply won't cut it. The more fat content a cream contains, the more stable it's likely to be in a whipped state.

Check out our basic whipped topping recipe for guaranteed success.

Got a burning question? Join the Burning Question group in the YumSugar Community! It's your place to post the most pressing questions about the culinary world.

When you are doctoring up your coffee or tea at the sugar and milk stand, do you know how much of a difference those tall silver canisters can make in your hot drink? Some reach for the skim while others feel free to douse the cup with the heavier cream. And when it comes to choosing milk for cereals or as a beverage, it can make even more of a difference. If you're curious to see how the various types of milk compare, just read more